Mining of planetary bodies may be possible and beneficial to mankind. Mining of planetary bodies is the process of extracting raw materials from the planetary bodies while in space. In this regard, planetary bodies, such as, for example, asteroids and/or minor planets are often rich in raw materials. For example, planetary bodies may comprise one of or combinations of regolith, rocks, water, methane, carbon dioxide, and other volatiles, as well as many other types of resources.
Mining of planetary bodies may be beneficial for a number of reasons. For example, the mined resources may be used for space construction, sustainment of astronauts on site, radiation protection shielding, and rocket propellant. This reduces the mass of resources that must be launched from Earth. Using resources gathered during space exploration is oftentimes referred to as in-situ resource utilization.